CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV & STD Prevention & Treatment

The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and by delegation, the Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are authorized under Sections 301, 311, 317, and 318 of the Public Health Service Act, (42 U.S.C. 241, 42 U.S.C. 243, 42 U.S.C. 247b, and 42 U.S.C. 247c as amended) to establish the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment (CHACHSPT). The Committee was chartered on November 25, 2002. To assist HRSA and CDC in carrying out their responsibilities the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment assesses HRSA's and CDC's activities related to the HIV, AIDS, and other STDs, and makes recommendations for the future directions of HRSA's and CDC's programs to prevent, control, and treat STDs, HIV, and AIDS.

The CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment advises the HRSA Administrator and CDC Director on activities related to prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other STDs, the support of health care services to persons living with HIV/AIDS, and education of health professionals and the public about HIV/AIDS and other STDs. The Committee supports the Agencies' process of identifying and responding to the prevention and health service delivery needs of affected communities, and the needs of individuals living with or at risk for HIV and other STDs.

The CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment was established under Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, 42 USC 217a. The Committee is governed by provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2) which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.

The merger of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee for HIV and STD Prevention (ACHSP) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) AIDS Advisory Committee (HAAC) into the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment, a single advisory body, was announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson in November 2002.

The new Advisory Committee advises the Secretary, CDC, and HRSA on the full range of issues including objectives, strategies, policies and priorities for HIV and STD prevention, care and treatment efforts. This new Committee encourages strong inter-agency collaboration across the spectrum of prevention and care.

The new Advisory Committee meets approximately twice per year and consists of 18 members including 2 Co-Chairs, nominated by the Secretary of HHS to serve two to four year terms. The members are knowledgeable in the fields of public health, epidemiology, laboratory practice, immunology, infectious diseases, drug abuse, behavioral science, health education, and health care delivery, State health programs, clinical care, preventive health, medical education, health services and clinical research, and health care financing.